Unchanged team named to face the Hurricanes

The University of Canberra Brumbies have named an unchanged side to face the Hurricanes this weekend having come through last week’s match in Auckland unscathed.

With just three competition games left, the Brumbies are working hard to maintain combinations and routine.

Head Coach Jake White said he was pleased to have the benefit of consistency in his selections and that it provided stability for the team moving into the twilight stages of the 2013 Super Rugby competition.

“I’ve said all along that by this time in the competition we want to be solidifying our combinations and selecting a similar team each week and I think that’s clearly reflected in the side I’ve chosen to face the Hurricanes,” White said.

“The Hurricanes are fairly typical of New Zealand teams with the exception perhaps of the Crusaders, in that they like to throw the ball around and have the ability to score long-range tries.

“They’ve selected a big pack, so our forwards are also going to have to be working hard to stop them getting a roll on. The Hurricanes are unpredictable and strong right across the pitch, so Friday night shapes as a tough assignment for our guys.”

Wellington comes to Canberra on the back of a bye weekend and a close loss to the front-running Chiefs. The side should be well rested and desperate for a win to stay within finals contention.

Friday Night Footy returns to Canberra this weekend, with plenty of support expected to come through the gates at the end of a tough week of work across the ACT and its surrounding regions.

This is the 19th time the University of Canberra Brumbies have faced off against the Hurricanes, with the ACT-based side holding a narrow advantage over their rivals at 10 wins to eight. The last time the Brumbies took on the Hurricanes was in Wellington last year, with the visitors managing a 37-25 win.

Should the Brumbies seal another win on Friday it will extend the streak to three for the first time since 1997.